Potato-planter.



No. 661,799. Patented Nov.- |3 I900.

T. L. soon. POTATO PLANTER.

(Applicatiop filed Aug. 13, 1960. K

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' 'W Cwag w No. 66|,799. Patented Nov. l3, I900.

T. L. GOOD.

POTATO PLANTER.

(Application filed Aug. 18, 1900.)

(no Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

MMMAAe/r insenlazt 5 G 5 W "3 #454 M 4 402 UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcs.

THOMAS L. GOOD, OF EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

POTATO-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,799, dated November13, 1900.

Application filed August 13,1900. Serial No. 26.752. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. GOOD, of the city of Edwardsville, Madisoncounty, State of Illinois, have invented certain newand usefulImprovements in Potato-Planters, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to potato-planters; and it consists of the novelconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter shown,described, and claimed.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective, showing my improved potato-planter.Fig. 2 isa plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective vimvshowingthe parts made use of to throw the planting mechanism into aninoperative position. Fig. 4C is a sectional view showing the carriermade use of in carrying out the invention. Fig. 5 is a perspective viewshowing one of the carriers. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showin a partof the mechanism made use of to drop the potatoes at the Tequired time.

Referring to the drawings in detail, .1 indicates the tractionwheelssupporting an axle 2, upon which is mounted the outer frame 3. Supportedwithin the forward end of the frame 3 is a pair of an'gled bars 4, therear ends of which are connected to the sides of the frame 3 and theirforward ends are connected to the forward end of the frame 3, andbetween the bars 4 is secured the rear end of the tongue 5. A plow-beam6 has its forward end pivoted between the bars at and carries on itsdownwardly-bent rear end a plow 7, which, as is readily understood, maybe of any preferred shape and construction. Supported by the frame abovethe rear end of the plowbeam 6 is a transverse bar 8, which is mountedin suitable bearings in the said frame 3. An arm 9, carried by the bar8, has its lower end pivoted. to the plow-beam 6, and as the said bar 8is turned in its bearings the plow-beam and the plow carried therebywill he raised. Connected to one end of the transverse bar 8 is a lever10, and as the said lever is operated the bar 8 will be oscillated,thereby raising or lowering the plow, as described. A ratvhetsegment 11is supported adjacent to the lever 10, and a pawl 12, carried by thesaid ,lever, operates upon the ratchet-segment, thereby holding theparts in any adjustment in which they are placed.

13 indicates a seat supported by the frame 3 in a suitable positionrelative to the other parts of the machine. Carried above the rear endof the frame 3 is a hopper let, within which the potatoes are placedbefore.being dropped into the furrow made by the plow 7.

As shown in Fig. 4, the lower end of the hopper 14 is open andcommunicates with a substantially vertical guideway 15. Supported in thesides of the guideway 15 below the point of communication with thehopper 14 is a horizontal shaft 16, rigid with whichisasprocket-whee1l7. Acorrespondingshaft 18 is supported within theupper extremity of the guideway 15 and carries a sprocketwheel19. Acarrier-chain 20opera-tes around the said sprocketwheels, and carried bythe carrier-chain 20 at suitable intervals are projections 21, integralwith the ends of which are the pointed projections 22, the purpose ofwhich is to engage the potatoes and carry them out of the receptacle tobe delivered into the furrow. On the outer end of the shaft 18 is alarge gear-wheel 23, which meshes with a small gear 24:, carried on theouter end of the shaft 25, supported by the upper end ofthe guideway 15.Within the guideway on the shaft 25 is a sleeve 26, carried by which isa series of arms 27, the purpose of which is to remove the potatoes fromthe carriers after they have been carried above the shaft 18. As theshaft 18 is totated and the potatoes are carried upwardly the shaft 25will be rotated in an opposite direction, and the arms 27, moving morerapidly than the carrier, will'contact with the potatoes and remove themtherefrom. causing them to drop downwardly within the guideway 15. Atransverse frame 28 is supported by the sides of the guideway 15, andthe carrierchain 20 operates around the same. Rigid with the outer endof the shaft 16 is a sprocket-wheel 29, around which passes the chain30, which is also passed around the wheel 31, loosely carried on theaxle sprocket 31 is pressed inwardly against an enlargement on the axle2 by means ofaspring 32, and when in such position it will be rotatedwith the axle, thereby operating the carrier within the guideway15. Thisoperation takes place as the result of the movement of the machine overthe surface; but on some occasions it is desirable to move the machinewithout operating the. carrier. I

The

provide a means for so doing, comprising the elements which will now bedescribed. Projecting rearwardly from the plow-beam 6 is an arm 33, therear end of which rests against an angled lever 34. The said angledlever 34 is pivotally carried by an arm 35, secured to the outer frame3. The upper end of the lever 34 is adjacent to the sprocket 31 and whenpressed outwardly removes the said sprocket-wheel from the enlargementon the axle 2. and thereby leaves the sprocket-wheel free to turn on theaXle. Whenever the lever is operated to raise the plow-beam, the

.is a rod 40.

arm 33 is raised against the lower end of the lever 34, which pressesoutwardly the upper end, thereby removing the sprocket 31 out of contactwith the enlargement against which it normally rests. The lever 34 isretained in its normal position by a projection 36, which relst-suponthe upper side of the arm 35. After the potatoes are removed from thecarrier it is necessary that they be dropped at uniform distances fromeach other. The mechanism which I employ to accomplish this result willnow be described.

Supported by the sides of the guideway 15 below the carrier is ahorizontal shaft 37, rigidly secured to which within theguideway 15 is adoor or plate 38, which is of a size sufficient to close the guidewayand prevent the potatoes from passing therefrom. This door is supportedat a suitable incline, so that the potatoes will gravitate to one sidethereof. The shaft 37 projects from the side of the guideway 15 andcarries on its projecting end an arm 39, pivoted to the upper end ofwhich The forward end of the rod 40 is connected to a vertical arm 41,rigid with the rod 42, supported in bearings in the frame 3. The outerends of the rod 42 are turned upwardly and are bifurcated, as indicatedby 43. A transverse bar 44 is supported by the frame 3 adjacent to therod 42, and the arm 41 is normally held in its vertical position bymeans of a spring 45, secured to the bar 44, and loosely connected tosaid arm 41 on the outer ends of the bar 44 are arms 46, and carriedthereby are the rollers 47. From this descript-ion it is evident thatthe potatoes will be retained within the guideway 15 upon the door 38and will only be dropped therefrom into the furrow by removing the saiddoor 33. This is done by an ordinary link or knotted wire, shownsupported on a spool at the rear of the machine in Fig. 1. The wire isdrawn across the field and is placed within the bifurcated upper ends 43of the rod 42, and as the machine is drawn over the surface the links ofthe wire will slightly rotate the rod 42, which will force rearwardlythe rod 40, thereby turning the shaft 37 in its bearings in the guideway15. This lowers for a short time the rear end of the bar 38 and permitsthe potato resting thereon to drop into the furrow made by the plow 7.After each link in the wire passes from the forks 43 the parts arereturned to their normal positions by by the furrow is refilled and thepotatoes covered after they have been dropped therein. The disks 49 areraised and lowered as the plow-beam 6 is operated by manipulating thelever 10. e

A potato-planter constructed as described is thoroughly operative, andin addition to forming the furrow in which the potatoes are to bedropped it drops the potatoes therein at the required distances fromeach other and places the desired amount of soil upon them. Much laborand expense may be saved by a machine of this kind, which, as isevident, may be used for other purposes than planting potatoes.

I claim 1. A potato-planter, comprising an adjustable plow for forming afurrow, a hopper, a chute alongside said hopper, a carrier operatingwithin said chute and through the open "bottom of the hopper, a hingedplate in the bottom of said chute below the carrier for spacing thepotatoes, suitable connect-ions for operating the said plate by means ofcheckwire to deliver the potatoes into the furrow at uniform distancesfrom each other, and means for covering the potatoes within the furrow,substantially as specified.

2. A potato-planter,comprising a suitable plow to form a furrow, ahopper having an open bottom, a chute alongside said hopper, a arrieroperating within said chute close to the open bottom of the hopper, aseries of rotary arms for removing the potatoes from the carrier, ahinged plate within said chute below the carrier for receiving andspacing the potatoes, suitable connections for operating said plate bymeans of check-wire to space the potatoes in the furrow, and a pair ofadjustable roller-disks for covering the potatoes, sustantially asspecified.

3. In a potato-planter, a hopper having an open bottom, and a carrieroperating adjacent to the said open bottom, the said carrier consistingof a chain having integral arms pro- ITS jecting therefom and pointedhooks formed on the ends of said arms for engaging the potatoes, aseries of rotary arms above the carrier for removing the potatoes fromsaid hooks, a hinged plate below the carrier for receiving and spacingthe potatoes, connections for operating the said plate by means ofcheck-wire at suitable intervals to deliver the potatoes into a furrow,and a pair of roller-disks for covering the potatoes, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS .L. GOOD.

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. LONGAN, JOHN D. RIPPEY.

